But Mother Nature Doesn't Really Care!
We just got hit by a wall of wind here about 15 minutes ago or so. The boat is rockin' and rollin' -- I love that when I know the boat is secure.
... when I know the boat is secure.
I knew this weather was coming, and as I'm down with something that probably is strep throat, I wasn't really up to a lot of work today. So the bunk didn't get made up, but I secured the deck, checked the lines, and put the tarp up in the cockpit -- it's nice to be able to keep the cabin doors open in bad weather. By the time I'd gone to the store and bought just a few things, I was just exhausted. I napped for several hours and then watched a "Project Runway" marathon.
We had a few bands of rain, but nothing dramatic -- until 15 minutes ago, when we were hit with a wall of wind. I heard the loudest sound of wind whistling through something I've ever heard before, and finally realized that it was the wind whistling through the nearby bridge.
Then it dawned on me: I have this line I usually use to counter-wrap my headsail. Because of the design of my roller furler, it is more likely to unfurl and help the sail flap itself to death than other roller furlers. I've even written about this problem here, and took pictures showing how I counter-wrapped someone else's sail as a storm approached. Simply explained, if the sheets wrap clockwise, I wrap another line around the sail going counter-clockwise. I have a specific line I use for that. I seemed to recall seeing that line somewhere else and not on the roller furler.
Also, as I listened to the wind, I did not remember counter-wrapping the headsail. Now, at first that's not too surprising. I went out of town for Christmas and wasn't likely to remember one random task done before I left. But that was an important random task.
So I went up to the cockpit. To get on deck, I had to cut one zip tie holding the side of the tarp down, but didn't see the scissors anywhere. Well of course I didn't -- it was DARK! Enter the "cockpit box."
My cockpit box, which I'll write about really soon because it just saved my cookies, was where it belonged -- in the cockpit. I know where I keep things in that box, so I was able to put my hands on my rigging knife quickly. Then I opened the top, got out my headlamp, put it on, and avoided cutting off the tip of a finger while removing the zip tie.
I went up to the bow. I had not counter-wrapped the sail -- and it was beginning to unfurl. No kidding. I grabbed a spare sail tie, tightened it around the wrapped sheets as high as I could reach, wrapped it around once, secured it again to the sheets, and wrapped it as much as I could before tying it off securely lower on the wrapped sheets.
The wind has died down significantly in the time it has taken to write this entry, but it could pick up again at any time. So tonight, I will sleep in clothes, not pajamas.
You know, some insurance companies won't insure you if you live on your sailboat. To me, that's crazy. I might not have realized that the headsail had not been been secured if I had not been on the boat when the wind hit. If I had been safe in a house or condo somewhere, even if I'd realized I hadn't checked the sail, it might have unfurled before I got to the boat, and in this wind, and with that roller furler, it would have been quite a job to pull it back in. In other words, if I didn't live on my boat, the insurance company might have gotten a claim for my headsail tomorrow. Live-aboards are more likely to notice when something isn't right.
My excuse for not noticing that the sail wasn't counter-wrapped is that I'm sick. But another time it could be that I'd had one too many glasses of wine, or I that was tired, or that I left the boat without securing her completely, even though I knew weather was coming in. It is possible to see what you expect to see, and it's easy to overlook little things.
The truth is that I should secure that roller furler with a counter-wrap every single time I come in from a sail. This one time I didn't do it, and it could have turned out quite badly.
If you have a spouse or sailing partner, it's easy to divide up tasks so that one person always, say, cleans out the cooler, while the other person, say, secures the headsail. It makes sense to divide and conquer, but i would suggest that every once in a while you trade jobs. If you are always the helmsman, pass it off to your partner once in a while. If you always secure the sails, pass that off to the other person. It may be that you will have to secure the boat for a storm all by yourself one day, and you're far more likely to remember to do things if you've done them before.
* * *
PS: It is now past midnight, and the boat was bumping up against the piling of the dock. The starboard lines, on the windward side of the boat, had stretched, and had to be tightened. I was already in clothes, got the headlamp out of the cockpit box, tightened the lines, and will now go back to bead, hopefully without further problems to solve.
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Thursday, January 2, 2014
My Chart Plotter Problems -- A Happy Ending!
As I have posted here before, I have had ongoing problems with my chart plotter.
I had had intermittent problems with the chartplotter most of the time I owned it. Fortunately I had gotten the extended warranty on it, because I have a good friend for whom that worked out very well.
My chart plotter started randomly turning itself off. Most of the time it was immediately after I had pushed a button, but sometimes I would just glance at it only to see a blank screen. I took it back to West Marine several times, but since the problem was intermittent, it of course never happened in their presence. It wasn't that they didn't believe me at West Marine, but they did need solid evidence, and I understood that. They suggested I try a different cable, but I didn't have the skills to change the cable, and I didn't want the expense of cable and installation when I didn't know whether or not that was the problem.
One day it started insisting that every spot on the planet was at latitude 32º. I'm fairly certain that isn't true, and since that latitude runs through Atlanta, Georgia, I'm pretty sure it's not where I've been sailing, either. Every single waypoint came up listed that way, although its position on the actual chart was accurate.
So I could use waypoints I had already entered, but could not enter any new ones.
This led to a cascade of problems. I really hate cascades of problems.
I took it to the West Marine where I had bought it. They could see that problem, and said it needed a software update, which they said I could get at the Garmin website. I went there only to find that Garmin doesn't support Macintosh.
So I bought a Sandisk and gave it, and the chart plotter, to someone with a PC. He downloaded the software update for me.
I put the Sandisk in the chartplotter, which told me the Sandisk was blank.
So I took it back to the PC guy and he had no trouble finding the software on the disk.
Back I went to West Marine, and then they told me that my Sandisk was too big -- 32 GB. The chart plotters have trouble reading any that are bigger than 16 GB. Oy vey. Eye roll.
For some reason, the chart plotter then began producing accurate latitudes again. What??? But it continued to randomly turn itself off.
So, on December 20 of last year, I again took the chart plotter back to the West Marine I bought it at (instead of the one that was now closer to where now I keep my boat). I had tried another chart plotter on the cable, and that one never turned off. Clearly the problem was with the chart plotter and not the cable.
They told me (are you ready?) that my extended warranty had expired December 15.
D'oh!
Then they did something that assures that I will never trash-talk West Marine again. They said, "Yes, it's technically out of warranty, but you have been bringing this chart plotter back over and over with the same problem, and we know that. Here's your new chart plotter." They handed me a brand new 441S right out of the box.
There's two very specific things I did that helped bring about this outcome. First, I always took the chart plotter back to the store where I originally purchased it. Because of that, they were aware of all the times I had brought it in. I didn't have to convince them that this had been an ongoing problem.
Second, I was never angry or rude to them. I knew they were right, that it might be the cable, and although it was very frustrating that Garmin does not support Macintoshes, this was not West Marine's fault.
Yes, I know. You can buy stainless steel screws cheaper elsewhere. I know you can get a lot of things on line cheaper, and sometimes I do that. However, the people at West Marine were perfectly willing to help me with the most basic things I didn't know when I first started out. That staff doesn't come for free, and neither does the building it's all housed in. A real-time, physical store front has a variety of expenses that an online site won't have -- mortgage or rent for multiple sites across the country, insurance (including flood insurance in Florida, and that's a HUGE bill here), utilities, staff costs, maintenance of equipment such as computers and cash registers -- all of these expenses are less for on-line businesses. Those online businesses didn't go in business for our convenience -- they did it because it's cheaper.
I'm not saying we should never shop online. I'm just saying that West Marine had to pay the staff who worked with me through this problem, and they had to pay them multiple times to do that without bringing in any money in return, but they still did it cheerfully and to the best of their ability. And they did know their product. They had to pay all their other overhead without making a penny on me every single time. If I pay more for a screw at WM, that's OK with me, because they have someone there to make sure I get the right one, and I need that help.
Kudos to West Marine for stepping up.
Go to our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/boldlygosailing?skip_nax_wizard=true
I had had intermittent problems with the chartplotter most of the time I owned it. Fortunately I had gotten the extended warranty on it, because I have a good friend for whom that worked out very well.
My chart plotter started randomly turning itself off. Most of the time it was immediately after I had pushed a button, but sometimes I would just glance at it only to see a blank screen. I took it back to West Marine several times, but since the problem was intermittent, it of course never happened in their presence. It wasn't that they didn't believe me at West Marine, but they did need solid evidence, and I understood that. They suggested I try a different cable, but I didn't have the skills to change the cable, and I didn't want the expense of cable and installation when I didn't know whether or not that was the problem.
One day it started insisting that every spot on the planet was at latitude 32º. I'm fairly certain that isn't true, and since that latitude runs through Atlanta, Georgia, I'm pretty sure it's not where I've been sailing, either. Every single waypoint came up listed that way, although its position on the actual chart was accurate.
So I could use waypoints I had already entered, but could not enter any new ones.
This led to a cascade of problems. I really hate cascades of problems.
I took it to the West Marine where I had bought it. They could see that problem, and said it needed a software update, which they said I could get at the Garmin website. I went there only to find that Garmin doesn't support Macintosh.
So I bought a Sandisk and gave it, and the chart plotter, to someone with a PC. He downloaded the software update for me.
I put the Sandisk in the chartplotter, which told me the Sandisk was blank.
So I took it back to the PC guy and he had no trouble finding the software on the disk.
Back I went to West Marine, and then they told me that my Sandisk was too big -- 32 GB. The chart plotters have trouble reading any that are bigger than 16 GB. Oy vey. Eye roll.
For some reason, the chart plotter then began producing accurate latitudes again. What??? But it continued to randomly turn itself off.
So, on December 20 of last year, I again took the chart plotter back to the West Marine I bought it at (instead of the one that was now closer to where now I keep my boat). I had tried another chart plotter on the cable, and that one never turned off. Clearly the problem was with the chart plotter and not the cable.
They told me (are you ready?) that my extended warranty had expired December 15.
D'oh!
Then they did something that assures that I will never trash-talk West Marine again. They said, "Yes, it's technically out of warranty, but you have been bringing this chart plotter back over and over with the same problem, and we know that. Here's your new chart plotter." They handed me a brand new 441S right out of the box.
There's two very specific things I did that helped bring about this outcome. First, I always took the chart plotter back to the store where I originally purchased it. Because of that, they were aware of all the times I had brought it in. I didn't have to convince them that this had been an ongoing problem.
Second, I was never angry or rude to them. I knew they were right, that it might be the cable, and although it was very frustrating that Garmin does not support Macintoshes, this was not West Marine's fault.
Yes, I know. You can buy stainless steel screws cheaper elsewhere. I know you can get a lot of things on line cheaper, and sometimes I do that. However, the people at West Marine were perfectly willing to help me with the most basic things I didn't know when I first started out. That staff doesn't come for free, and neither does the building it's all housed in. A real-time, physical store front has a variety of expenses that an online site won't have -- mortgage or rent for multiple sites across the country, insurance (including flood insurance in Florida, and that's a HUGE bill here), utilities, staff costs, maintenance of equipment such as computers and cash registers -- all of these expenses are less for on-line businesses. Those online businesses didn't go in business for our convenience -- they did it because it's cheaper.
I'm not saying we should never shop online. I'm just saying that West Marine had to pay the staff who worked with me through this problem, and they had to pay them multiple times to do that without bringing in any money in return, but they still did it cheerfully and to the best of their ability. And they did know their product. They had to pay all their other overhead without making a penny on me every single time. If I pay more for a screw at WM, that's OK with me, because they have someone there to make sure I get the right one, and I need that help.
Kudos to West Marine for stepping up.
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Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Ramp Your Skills and Experience Up Quickly!
Or, "What? This is a GREAT day to sail!"
Ever since I first started sailing, I had set myself a goal to sail every day for a week. I had no particular reason to set that goal except that I thought it would be fun and a bit of a feather in my cap.
It actually took several years to pull it off, even after I moved onto this boat. You'd think seven days of good weather would be easy to find in Florida, but we'd have two good days, and then the winds would pick up, or die down, or we'd have a low tide that would make it tricky to get the boat out of the marina. All sorts of things.
Then I joined a MeetUp group. This group connected people who had boats with people who wanted to sail. So I picked the best weather window I could spot, and started inviting people to sail. That was what did it, because I had made commitments to people who would be very disappointed if the sail were cancelled.
I did not sail seven, but eight days in a row, sailing with different people every day.
I learned something remarkable. I had, without realizing it, picked rather narrow parameters regarding when I wanted to sail. If the waves were too high from a previous storm, I wouldn't take the boat out. If the winds were over 15 mph I thought twice as my roller "furler" can't partially furl. I could always find reasons to not sail that day. But with these commitments, we went out anyway. We went out in 4' waves. We went out when the winds were up to 20 mph. We went out when the winds were 5 - 7 mph.
I learned more about sailing that week than I had in the previous year, because I had challenged myself to accept slightly more challenging conditions. My boat isn't going to sink in 4' waves, but she handles differently. That's no surprise ... but I hadn't actually *done* it.
I took a bit of ribbing at the end of the eight days, because on the eighth day I got myself in a bit of a mess and ended up with a bent rudder shaft. I can't count the ninth day as sailing, because we were towed back -- with no steering, in rough water. It was hard on us and even harder on the poor guy piloting the towboat as we jerked from port to starboard to port behind his boat in rough water.
But in thinking about it, I realized that a lot of people who belong to my club are sailing a lot if they take their boats out four times a year. I bet a lot of them are doing what I was doing -- skipping a sail unless things were perfect.
Set yourself a goal like that -- maybe more modest, since most people have to balance their sailing with work and family commitments. Aim for three days (barring severe storms -- don't go sailing out into dangerous weather just because you said you would!) -- Leave on Friday, anchor or stay at a different marina, sail again on Saturday, and return home Sunday.
It's a lot of work, to have a boat ready to go out several days in a row, but the rewards are worth it. If you can't set a string of days, think about what your preferred parameters are, and change them a little. I was astounded the day I put a smaller headsail on my little Irwin, reefed the main, and took her out in 20 mph. She sailed like a little cream puff. Set to handle the winds, it was just no big deal.
Stretch yourself. Don't let yourself get set in a rut. You'll learn things.
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Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Things You Didn't Know You Need on Your Boat
There are a number of things I have on my boat that I wouldn't want to be without. I never would have guessed when I started out I would make use of these things. Here are some of those things, and if it isn't obvious, how I use them.
ELECTRIC CARVING KNIFE: (HUH???) Yeah. You can get "Memory Foam" pretty cheaply (right now, $100 for twin-sized at Wal-Mart). A layer of memory foam makes most berths markedly more comfortable. However, you will have to cut it to fit, and electric carving knives cut all kinds of foam very well.
DREMEL: Probably not a surprise to see that, but I didn't realize how much I would use it when I first started sailing. Among other things, it cuts PVC pipe extremely well, and PVC pipe can be handy for all sorts of things (not boat plumbing, however -- boats flex too much for rigid plumbing).
BARKEEPER'S FRIEND: (in the dry form and the spray form, but not the liquid). This product gets up all kinds of stains.
FORMULA 4-0-9: Does a great job of cleaning many things, but it won't get rust stains up (however, Barkeeper's Friend will).
SNATCH BLOCKS: Snatch blocks open to clasp the line it will be working, and can then be attached to all sorts of things, including any spot on a perforated toe rail and the base of stanchions (be careful about how much strain you put on your stanchions). Many people recommend keeping them out of sight when they're not being used as they are a tempting target. New ones cost around $170 and up, but I have gotten mine at marine flea markets for $20 - 30. They can be used for all sorts of things and can be incredibly useful in an emergency.
CONCENTRATED LIQUID BOULLON: It comes in several forms, including foil packs and small jars. You *can* use real boullon when cooking without having to store the leftovers in your finite refrigerated space.
MAYONNAISE: It enhances many dishes and sandwiches. It does not have to be refrigerated (read the label -- it even says that!) Mayonnaise actually has a high acid content and is inhospitable to salmonella. It isn't the mayonnaise that grows food poisoning bacteria -- it's the food it's mixed with. So *always* use a clean knife or spoon to scoop it out. By the way, refrigerate any left over pasta or rice -- or feed the crabs with it. Pasta grows salmonella very easily. But keep your jar of mayonnaise free of contamination and you can use it for months. The one I'm using now has been open for five months (including hot summer months). I learned this from my mother-in-law, who kept her mayonnaise, opened, in a cabinet. She was French, and when I questioned her about this, informed me rather archly that the French had invented mayonnaise and that she knew a bit about it (she did -- she studied cooking at the Cordon Bleu in Paris). 'Nuff said for me!
P-TOUCH LABEL MAKER: I label all my storage boxes. My top companionway step is actually a small storage box. Everything that goes in there has a "1" on it (made by the P-Touch, because those labels stick so well and last forever). 95% of the time, whatever tool I need is in that little box. I also have everything labeled that goes in my cockpit box. It makes it much easier to put things away. P-TOUCH labels are impervious to weather. I know someone who has had his headsail train track labeled for years with where the track should be for close-hauled, broad reach, etc. All the lines on my boom are labeled: topping lift, top reef, bottom reef, etc. My line clutches are labeled: spinnaker, headsail halyard, mainsail halyard, etc. This makes things much easier for people new to my boat.
KNEE PADS: Once you have them, you'll keep them handy.
SAILING GLOVES: Don't give me that macho attitude that real sailors don't wear gloves! If "macho man" cuts his hand or gets a serious friction burn out of pride, he's still a handicapped crew member. Get gloves and wear them. I keep them in my "skipper's cockpit box" -- I'll write about that shortly -- so they're always handy. That way I always put them on.
I would love to hear from other posters regarding things they have found useful enough on their boat to let them take up some of their finite storage space. I know this board can be hard to respond to. If you can't do that, just email me at
Rakuflames@gmail.com
I'll be glad to post it and give you the credit. I know I have lots to learn from you guys. Bring it on!
Go to our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/boldlygosailing?skip_nax_wizard=true
ELECTRIC CARVING KNIFE: (HUH???) Yeah. You can get "Memory Foam" pretty cheaply (right now, $100 for twin-sized at Wal-Mart). A layer of memory foam makes most berths markedly more comfortable. However, you will have to cut it to fit, and electric carving knives cut all kinds of foam very well.
DREMEL: Probably not a surprise to see that, but I didn't realize how much I would use it when I first started sailing. Among other things, it cuts PVC pipe extremely well, and PVC pipe can be handy for all sorts of things (not boat plumbing, however -- boats flex too much for rigid plumbing).
BARKEEPER'S FRIEND: (in the dry form and the spray form, but not the liquid). This product gets up all kinds of stains.
FORMULA 4-0-9: Does a great job of cleaning many things, but it won't get rust stains up (however, Barkeeper's Friend will).
SNATCH BLOCKS: Snatch blocks open to clasp the line it will be working, and can then be attached to all sorts of things, including any spot on a perforated toe rail and the base of stanchions (be careful about how much strain you put on your stanchions). Many people recommend keeping them out of sight when they're not being used as they are a tempting target. New ones cost around $170 and up, but I have gotten mine at marine flea markets for $20 - 30. They can be used for all sorts of things and can be incredibly useful in an emergency.
CONCENTRATED LIQUID BOULLON: It comes in several forms, including foil packs and small jars. You *can* use real boullon when cooking without having to store the leftovers in your finite refrigerated space.
MAYONNAISE: It enhances many dishes and sandwiches. It does not have to be refrigerated (read the label -- it even says that!) Mayonnaise actually has a high acid content and is inhospitable to salmonella. It isn't the mayonnaise that grows food poisoning bacteria -- it's the food it's mixed with. So *always* use a clean knife or spoon to scoop it out. By the way, refrigerate any left over pasta or rice -- or feed the crabs with it. Pasta grows salmonella very easily. But keep your jar of mayonnaise free of contamination and you can use it for months. The one I'm using now has been open for five months (including hot summer months). I learned this from my mother-in-law, who kept her mayonnaise, opened, in a cabinet. She was French, and when I questioned her about this, informed me rather archly that the French had invented mayonnaise and that she knew a bit about it (she did -- she studied cooking at the Cordon Bleu in Paris). 'Nuff said for me!
P-TOUCH LABEL MAKER: I label all my storage boxes. My top companionway step is actually a small storage box. Everything that goes in there has a "1" on it (made by the P-Touch, because those labels stick so well and last forever). 95% of the time, whatever tool I need is in that little box. I also have everything labeled that goes in my cockpit box. It makes it much easier to put things away. P-TOUCH labels are impervious to weather. I know someone who has had his headsail train track labeled for years with where the track should be for close-hauled, broad reach, etc. All the lines on my boom are labeled: topping lift, top reef, bottom reef, etc. My line clutches are labeled: spinnaker, headsail halyard, mainsail halyard, etc. This makes things much easier for people new to my boat.
KNEE PADS: Once you have them, you'll keep them handy.
SAILING GLOVES: Don't give me that macho attitude that real sailors don't wear gloves! If "macho man" cuts his hand or gets a serious friction burn out of pride, he's still a handicapped crew member. Get gloves and wear them. I keep them in my "skipper's cockpit box" -- I'll write about that shortly -- so they're always handy. That way I always put them on.
I would love to hear from other posters regarding things they have found useful enough on their boat to let them take up some of their finite storage space. I know this board can be hard to respond to. If you can't do that, just email me at
Rakuflames@gmail.com
I'll be glad to post it and give you the credit. I know I have lots to learn from you guys. Bring it on!
Go to our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/boldlygosailing?skip_nax_wizard=true
Monday, December 16, 2013
Do you REALLY have towing insurance?
A couple of days ago I wrote about some friends who ran aground while trying to solve a roller furler problem. I wish that the roller furler, followed by running aground, had been the end of their grief, but unfortunately it was not.
I won't name their insurance company because it isn't my goal here to promote one insurance company over another. But it is a lesson in reading the fine print.
My friends couldn't get their boat off the grounding, but their insurance covered towing by the standard towing companies, so they called Boat US, who had no trouble getting them off.
However, the bill was $1,000, which they had to pay upfront and then get reimbursed by their insurance company. They knew that and were not upset by that.
However, that "towing coverage" includes a $500 deductible, so they're only going to get $500 back. That they're not quite so thrilled about.
My car has similar towing insurance -- only worse, really. It covers eight miles, or to the closest Subaru dealership (the brand of my car) -- which ever is shorter. Fortunately, if I want to be towed a little farther the cost doesn't nearly approach the $500 my friends will have to swallow for their boat tow.
Read your insurance policy carefully. My personal recommendation is that you not only get Boat US towing insurance but that you get their best package. I had to be towed about ten days ago because of dead batteries. They towed me to the club, where I had the boat looked at. The great thing about Boat US's best package, which I have, is that if the boat couldn't have been fixed at the club, they would have towed me again, either to my home slip or to a boat yard where they could have fixed the boat. (I was lucky, by the way. I was afraid the alternator had gone bad since all three batteries had died within a couple of days even though the engine had been used a lot, but it turned out to just be coincidence. The alternator is fine.)
Anyone can run aground. If you have a sailboat in waters like Florida, it's not if -- it's when. You will run aground.
My friends now have Boat US towing insurance, and I urge all sailors to do so. Any number of things can happen that could disable your boat even if groundings aren't common where you are. This advice isn't just for beginners, either, but then I have no sympathy for the macho idea that one should never, ever turn the engine on. If I can't use my motor to get back into my slip, I'm not going to try to sail it in through a blind entrance, a narrow entry way, and a long fairway, counting on being able to use the wind in four different directions without hitting anytbing. I'm going to call Boat US. Then if they hit something it's their fault, and I do like that.
Go to our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/boldlygosailing?skip_nax_wizard=true
I won't name their insurance company because it isn't my goal here to promote one insurance company over another. But it is a lesson in reading the fine print.
My friends couldn't get their boat off the grounding, but their insurance covered towing by the standard towing companies, so they called Boat US, who had no trouble getting them off.
However, the bill was $1,000, which they had to pay upfront and then get reimbursed by their insurance company. They knew that and were not upset by that.
However, that "towing coverage" includes a $500 deductible, so they're only going to get $500 back. That they're not quite so thrilled about.
My car has similar towing insurance -- only worse, really. It covers eight miles, or to the closest Subaru dealership (the brand of my car) -- which ever is shorter. Fortunately, if I want to be towed a little farther the cost doesn't nearly approach the $500 my friends will have to swallow for their boat tow.
Read your insurance policy carefully. My personal recommendation is that you not only get Boat US towing insurance but that you get their best package. I had to be towed about ten days ago because of dead batteries. They towed me to the club, where I had the boat looked at. The great thing about Boat US's best package, which I have, is that if the boat couldn't have been fixed at the club, they would have towed me again, either to my home slip or to a boat yard where they could have fixed the boat. (I was lucky, by the way. I was afraid the alternator had gone bad since all three batteries had died within a couple of days even though the engine had been used a lot, but it turned out to just be coincidence. The alternator is fine.)
Anyone can run aground. If you have a sailboat in waters like Florida, it's not if -- it's when. You will run aground.
My friends now have Boat US towing insurance, and I urge all sailors to do so. Any number of things can happen that could disable your boat even if groundings aren't common where you are. This advice isn't just for beginners, either, but then I have no sympathy for the macho idea that one should never, ever turn the engine on. If I can't use my motor to get back into my slip, I'm not going to try to sail it in through a blind entrance, a narrow entry way, and a long fairway, counting on being able to use the wind in four different directions without hitting anytbing. I'm going to call Boat US. Then if they hit something it's their fault, and I do like that.
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Sunday, December 15, 2013
Your Autopilot Could Throw you in the Drink -- Really!
I'm a big fan of autopilots. Some people call them their "invisible crew member" or some other crew nickname that shows just how valuable they can be. If you're single-handing, for instance, the autopilot can keep your bow pointed into the wind while you raise the sails. No one ever told me what I'm going to tell you now, though. I heard "You should have an autopilot" over and over, but not one person said, "However, it can throw you in the water" -- until I said it. Then others agreed with me. I think it's just a good rule of thumb that anything you put on your boat will bring risks as well as benefits.
There's a saying about sailing that the number of errors equals the number of crew members -- squared. This includes your autopilot, because they can malfunction, and they can do so unpredictably and at just the wrong time -- just like humans.
An untended autopilot caused another boat to hit mine once. My helmsman had turned the helm over and was on my cabintop photographing the boat that ended up hitting me at the time, so we know exactly what happened. The "skipper" of the other boat 1) had his boat on autopilot, and 2) wasn't at the helm. The photos very clearly show him sitting on a side bench next to his cabin top, nowhere near the helm.
Sorry, but autopilots aren't really crew members, and a human has to be at the helm at all times. If common sense didn't tell you that, maritime law does.
Why is this important? His boat was sailing very fast, at least seven knots. He was only about ten feet away from us, silly really since we weren't racing and there was plenty of room.
So when his autopilot suddenly hiccuped and turned his boat 90º to port, at his speed even if he had known what was going on, he wouldn't have had time to steer away. His boat went right across the stern of my boat, leaving his bottom paint behind. His anchor hit my split back stay. It probably would have pulled the whole rig down except that the stay had a plastic PVC cover on it. The anchor, thankfully, rolled off the stay, damaging only the cover.
Autopilots can do that. They can be steering the boat dependably for quite some time. Then a wave hits the rudder wrong, or the power hiccups, or -- you won't always know why, but the boat suddenly makes a hard, lurching, and completely unpredictable turn.
If this happens to your boat and you're on deck somewhere instead of in the cockpit, and you're moving at 6 - 7 knots, that sudden turn can throw you into the water.
So what do you do? Because we all know we're not going to give up our autopilots.
First of all, any time you're relying on autopilot while you move around the boat, slow the boat down to the minimum speed you need to maintain steerage. That's whether you're going on deck or below decks, because you don't want to be thrown around in the cabin either. I suggest that you slow down even if you have someone at the helm, because humans can control for things like errant waves in ways that electronic gadgets cannot. It's all about keeping the person who is out of the cockpit safe.
Second of all, always remember the old rule, "One hand for the boat, and one for yourself." Don't be up on deck doing something with both hands, and nothing to hold on to. If you have to use both hands, then you should be tethered. For instance, if you're reefing the boat, clip the tether to your PFD, wrap it twice around the mast if it's long, and then clip it to your PFD again. I know someone who did that as a storm approached. The wind hit before he was done reefing, and his boat heeled over nearly 90º. He was knocked off the cabintop but stayed on the boat, which saved his life.
Autopilots are terrific. They let you go down to the head, or grab a sandwich, or get that CD you want. Used intelligently in open waters (not near other boats, for instance -- please, I don't want to be hit again, and you really don't want to hit another boat), they are a tremendous asset. Just remember that they introduce a new element of risk along with all that tremendous convenience.
Beyond this, ALWAYS ask yourself when you get a new piece of equipment: "OK, I know the good it can do -- what can it do that's bad?" A preventer can keep you from a dangerous jybe when you're sailing downwind. I don't know how many times I've heard that. However, only one person ever pointed out that if you attach it to the boom in the wrong place, it can bend (destroy) your boom.
We're all newer sailors here, but I know for a fact that people who have been sailing for more than 60 years are still learning things. Complicating this process is the fact that we don't know what we don't know. So we don't know that the autopilot can send us for a swim, or that the preventer can bend the boom. Take all the things you have on the boat and make sure you know the downsides as well as the upsides. The internet can be a great help, but use it with caution, as the internet is packed with misinformation, some of it dangerous. As you keep poking around, you'll start to get a sense for what is and isn't likely to be true.
This one is true: your autopilot can pitch you in the drink. Turn it off if you have crew and put someone on the helm before you leave the cockpit. If you're by yourself, slow it down to steerage speed.
And have fun out there!
Go to our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/boldlygosailing?skip_nax_wizard=true
There's a saying about sailing that the number of errors equals the number of crew members -- squared. This includes your autopilot, because they can malfunction, and they can do so unpredictably and at just the wrong time -- just like humans.
An untended autopilot caused another boat to hit mine once. My helmsman had turned the helm over and was on my cabintop photographing the boat that ended up hitting me at the time, so we know exactly what happened. The "skipper" of the other boat 1) had his boat on autopilot, and 2) wasn't at the helm. The photos very clearly show him sitting on a side bench next to his cabin top, nowhere near the helm.
Sorry, but autopilots aren't really crew members, and a human has to be at the helm at all times. If common sense didn't tell you that, maritime law does.
Why is this important? His boat was sailing very fast, at least seven knots. He was only about ten feet away from us, silly really since we weren't racing and there was plenty of room.
So when his autopilot suddenly hiccuped and turned his boat 90º to port, at his speed even if he had known what was going on, he wouldn't have had time to steer away. His boat went right across the stern of my boat, leaving his bottom paint behind. His anchor hit my split back stay. It probably would have pulled the whole rig down except that the stay had a plastic PVC cover on it. The anchor, thankfully, rolled off the stay, damaging only the cover.
Autopilots can do that. They can be steering the boat dependably for quite some time. Then a wave hits the rudder wrong, or the power hiccups, or -- you won't always know why, but the boat suddenly makes a hard, lurching, and completely unpredictable turn.
If this happens to your boat and you're on deck somewhere instead of in the cockpit, and you're moving at 6 - 7 knots, that sudden turn can throw you into the water.
So what do you do? Because we all know we're not going to give up our autopilots.
First of all, any time you're relying on autopilot while you move around the boat, slow the boat down to the minimum speed you need to maintain steerage. That's whether you're going on deck or below decks, because you don't want to be thrown around in the cabin either. I suggest that you slow down even if you have someone at the helm, because humans can control for things like errant waves in ways that electronic gadgets cannot. It's all about keeping the person who is out of the cockpit safe.
Second of all, always remember the old rule, "One hand for the boat, and one for yourself." Don't be up on deck doing something with both hands, and nothing to hold on to. If you have to use both hands, then you should be tethered. For instance, if you're reefing the boat, clip the tether to your PFD, wrap it twice around the mast if it's long, and then clip it to your PFD again. I know someone who did that as a storm approached. The wind hit before he was done reefing, and his boat heeled over nearly 90º. He was knocked off the cabintop but stayed on the boat, which saved his life.
Autopilots are terrific. They let you go down to the head, or grab a sandwich, or get that CD you want. Used intelligently in open waters (not near other boats, for instance -- please, I don't want to be hit again, and you really don't want to hit another boat), they are a tremendous asset. Just remember that they introduce a new element of risk along with all that tremendous convenience.
Beyond this, ALWAYS ask yourself when you get a new piece of equipment: "OK, I know the good it can do -- what can it do that's bad?" A preventer can keep you from a dangerous jybe when you're sailing downwind. I don't know how many times I've heard that. However, only one person ever pointed out that if you attach it to the boom in the wrong place, it can bend (destroy) your boom.
We're all newer sailors here, but I know for a fact that people who have been sailing for more than 60 years are still learning things. Complicating this process is the fact that we don't know what we don't know. So we don't know that the autopilot can send us for a swim, or that the preventer can bend the boom. Take all the things you have on the boat and make sure you know the downsides as well as the upsides. The internet can be a great help, but use it with caution, as the internet is packed with misinformation, some of it dangerous. As you keep poking around, you'll start to get a sense for what is and isn't likely to be true.
This one is true: your autopilot can pitch you in the drink. Turn it off if you have crew and put someone on the helm before you leave the cockpit. If you're by yourself, slow it down to steerage speed.
And have fun out there!
Go to our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/boldlygosailing?skip_nax_wizard=true
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Oops -- What Do We Do Now?
I have some sailing friends who, like me, are newer sailors. They're working hard to improve their skills and split their time between improving their boat and sailing it.
They were out a couple of weeks ago when they suddenly had trouble with their roller furler. They were jybing, and I suspect the headsail wrapped around the furler. Jybes can be easy, but you have to keep control of the lines. Of course, a sheet can slip out of anyone's hands (gloves help, but ... stuff happens.)
So they did the logical thing. One stayed on the helm, and one went forward to straighten out the sail.
While they were doing that, they ran aground. Oops. Things tend to cascade like that.
What could they have done to avoid it?
Sometimes there's nothing you can do. One time as I was leaving a marina, my outboard died. It was a lowering tide, and I knew there was a shallow area just to starboard. Unfortunately there was a strong wind from the east. When the engine died, that wind had us solidly aground within five seconds. There was nothing we could have done.
However, in retrospect, my friends had some choices. Here's what I and others recommended to them for next time:
1) quickly check for lines in the water (a real possibility when the headsail is out of control)
2) start the engine
3) notice where you are before deciding what to do.
If they'd stopped to think about where they were, they would have known they were near shallow spots. A better option probably would have been to turn around and move to a place with room to work. The sail would flap around a bit, but that's not the end of the world. Engine power would keep the boat from "sailing crazy" while the headsail was tangled (the time this happened to me, the boat sailed in circles until I got it untangled).
What if you have a different problem, and you don't have power, or you can't steer? I told a story a week or so ago where someone ended up with a line wrapped around both the rudder and the propeller. They were in very deep water, but if you aren't, put the anchor down.
Your goal should be to prevent things from getting worse as well as solving the original problem. If you're lucky you may prevent one thing from leading to another and another and another ...
Go to our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/boldlygosailing?skip_nax_wizard=true
They were out a couple of weeks ago when they suddenly had trouble with their roller furler. They were jybing, and I suspect the headsail wrapped around the furler. Jybes can be easy, but you have to keep control of the lines. Of course, a sheet can slip out of anyone's hands (gloves help, but ... stuff happens.)
So they did the logical thing. One stayed on the helm, and one went forward to straighten out the sail.
While they were doing that, they ran aground. Oops. Things tend to cascade like that.
What could they have done to avoid it?
Sometimes there's nothing you can do. One time as I was leaving a marina, my outboard died. It was a lowering tide, and I knew there was a shallow area just to starboard. Unfortunately there was a strong wind from the east. When the engine died, that wind had us solidly aground within five seconds. There was nothing we could have done.
However, in retrospect, my friends had some choices. Here's what I and others recommended to them for next time:
1) quickly check for lines in the water (a real possibility when the headsail is out of control)
2) start the engine
3) notice where you are before deciding what to do.
If they'd stopped to think about where they were, they would have known they were near shallow spots. A better option probably would have been to turn around and move to a place with room to work. The sail would flap around a bit, but that's not the end of the world. Engine power would keep the boat from "sailing crazy" while the headsail was tangled (the time this happened to me, the boat sailed in circles until I got it untangled).
What if you have a different problem, and you don't have power, or you can't steer? I told a story a week or so ago where someone ended up with a line wrapped around both the rudder and the propeller. They were in very deep water, but if you aren't, put the anchor down.
Your goal should be to prevent things from getting worse as well as solving the original problem. If you're lucky you may prevent one thing from leading to another and another and another ...
Go to our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/boldlygosailing?skip_nax_wizard=true
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